


Zane making new bonds?

by Morganicorganic112



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Grief/Mourning, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-10-24 10:48:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20704730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morganicorganic112/pseuds/Morganicorganic112
Summary: Not sure what to call this but it's going to be a collection of one-shots with Zane interacting with other borderlands characters about different things, from grief, to love advice and more (I know it sounds cheesy)





	Zane making new bonds?

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry if this comes across as cheesy or anything like that but I feel like Zane is the unspoken father/grandfather figure for a lot of characters in bl3. That and he has been through a lot so knows a lot of stuff.

Summary: Zane, experienced hit-man, Jack of all trades this includes giving advice on how to deal with grief and gains something in the process. 

CH1: Grief.  
Zane knew all about grief, how to deal with it, use it as a weapon, how to cause and manipulate if need be. But one thing he could never do was bring himself to harm an innocent child, even in his long and dark career he could never do it. He had gone through grieving stages himself multiple times, first his mother, his brothers and many ex lovers he had who were killed as a way of payback for his previous actions. 

Yet here he was, holding a young teen to his chest as he ran out of the vault where it all went to complete and utter shite.

One minute it was going fine, he and Maya had ended the vault monster and looted the vault it guarded-he even got some cool alien do-hickey that made his punches hit harder. And next minute he was partially pulled into the floor by that bloody twat Tyreen with the powers she'd stolen from Lilith back on Pandora. 

He saw Maya holding her arm in front of Ava protectively-when had she gotten here? And Tyreen on top of the monster they had killed, yet despite that it seems that her Siren powers allowed her to drain the dead creature of its power. Maya was just as shocked by this, but took advantage of the twins lack of attention on her and grappled Troy into a stranglehold. Her signature gun dug into his side, however in this moment Maya had forgotten one thing, Tyreen had Liliths power. And before she could blink Tyreen had seen Ava watching the commotion and teleported to the childs side kicking her to the other side of the hall.

"AVA!" Maya cried and slightly loosened her grip on the male Calypso's arm, allowing him to reach and grab her arm. Draining her. Ava, in pain but still awake screamed for her mentor "MAYA, NO YOU MONSTER, LET HER GO, YOU'RE KILLING HER" trying to get up to go help her, only to be kicked down by Tyreen once again who was looking the most shocked in the room at what she was seeing.

Zane couldn't believe what he was seeing, he...he could SEE Maya fading away slowly, all life and power being drained from her. But as she began to flake away, she looked toward her protégé and spoke like a whisper "Ava...be....ready" and with that she faded away to nothing, all that was left of her was a book.  
"Wow Troy, didn't know ya had it in ya. Let's go, see ya superfan! Suuuuuper sorry for your siren friend! Not." Tyreen taunted as she teleported both her and brother away.

For the duration of the fight Zane had been slowly free his arms so he could deploy his clone so he could be free from his hole-in-the-ground and now free he ran toward Ava and picked her up. His Echo kept pinging in his ear but he ignored it and instead, he quickly grabbed Maya's book and headed towards the fast travel station at the vault entrance.

It was probably not safe to use a fast travel carrying someone but he couldn't exactly leave her could he? Soon as they were back on Sanctuary he headed toward where Ava and Maya were bunking and laid the child down on one of the bunks.

Zane was slightly worried with how long she'd been unconscious for but he put it to the shock she had just gone through in the space of five minutes. He sat beside the kid and sighed heavily, feeling his full age for once as Tannis and Lilith stormed into the room demanding to know what had happened. Whilst Tannis checked on Ava, Zane gave Lilith a run down on what happened "the thing is, the lad looked so feckin surprised when he touched her and she began to fade away, his tattoos were glowin and he looked so worried until he realised what he'd done, he looked giddy when she finally faded away. I can't believe I couldn't a done anything to help, I coulda wriggled more and gotten free quicker." 

Lilith just gave him a worried look and looked over to where Tannis was checking on Ava "It seems as though Ava has no devastating injuries apart from the one that was dealt to her heart by the loss of Maya, I forsee her awaking in a few hours" and with that the two of them were gone, though Zane was a bit annoyed Lilith had nothing to say about the ordeal. 

Zane rubbed his face, he just felt so tired, only a little bit ago Maya had been full of energy, choosing a good tune to rock out to as they drove to the vault. And now. Now there was just her book that remained of her. THAT WAS IT THE BOOK. He quickly pulled it out and opened it, hoping Maya wouldn't mind him having a quick slim through. On the inside cover it read, 'Ava this is for you to learn how to become a badass just like me' and as Zane quickly flicked through he knew was the book was. Not for him but he had to be there for the kiddo, was the least he could do, so he tucked it under Ava's pillow and began to nod off. The exhaustion of the day taking its toll and letting him nap even with how highly-strung he felt .

THIS IS A TIME SKIP TO AFTER NAP

*poke* What the? Who was poking him? *poke* Zane groaned as he moved to get away from whoever was poking him only for the poking to become a flick on his nose which definitely caught him off guard as he nearly fell off the chair he'd slept in. Ok so that was why his neck bloody wrecked, opening his eye slowly he squinted as it adjusted to the light in the room and all he could see was blue...wait blue? 

Standing up quickly and now wide awake he looked around to see Ava hiding a grin at her successful awakening of him. "Oh haha be mean to the old man" he grunted as he stretched, looking at Ava whose expression had turned to a morose one. 

"She's gone isn't she. Really gone. Just like that?" she asked eyes glistening with tears she couldn't shed. Signing Zane nodded, "Aye lass, all that was left of her was that book" he pointed at the one Ava held in her grasp. "WHY. WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE HER?! SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO CARED, WHO I CARED ABOUT AND NOW SHE'S GONE" she screamed, her voice cracking as sobs escaped her, tears falling into her lap. 

"Ava, Ava look at me and listen to this old man" her sobs quietened as she looked at Zane. "Loss isn't something easy to deal with, and there are many ways of coping with it. Everyone handles it differently, me? I drink and remember the one I lost with the fondest memories I have with them. Others have memorials for them, some scream and let their anger out, others just cry, some close themselves away from those that care." Ava nodded and let out a small smile "I think we both know which I'll do" she said in a small voice and Zane chuckled. "Just don't forget what Maya did for you, and don't forget the final thing she told you, to be ready for whatever is to come" though Zane wasn't sure if Ava had actually been conscious as Maya said this. 

What Zane didn't expect though was to be nearly barrelled over by the teen as she hugged his torso with all the strength she could muster and spoke as she was smushed into his stomach "thanks gramps, really, but tell anyone about this and I will make sure they don't find your body." Laughing Zane tried to return the hug, his back not agreeing with him bending over so awkwardly and stepped back when enough time has passed. 

As Zane went to leave the room he left Ava some parting words "I haven't got any kids, or grandkids but Ava, I think you're an exception to that now, come talk to me whenever and make sure to study the book Maya left you, it's important" and he walked up the stairs pretending not to hear the teens squeal of happiness at his statement.

**Author's Note:**

> Ps I know this isn't how the events exactly go but I figure it works better like this?


End file.
